A Different Kind of Partner
by BlueBlood82
Summary: Jamie and Eddie realized that their 30 day separation has a few perks...Will they choose to make it permanent? One Shot, with Yanks302021.


Jamie and Eddie looked into their beers, both bummed but for different reasons, Eddie was upset that Jamie had been attacked again because of his name while Jamie feared for Eddies safety riding with a newer cop. Jamie had fought the urge, as did Eddie, for new partners for a long time, but now it was forced on them. Both felt sick to their stomachs.

"Do you want to talk about this Eddie or just sit here?" Jamie eyes his partner and best friend for many years.

"Talk?" Eddie griped. "What good is talk? We talked to the CO and IA and we're still being punished cause of that little rat.

Jamie sighed and sipped his beer, "I know we did but…Look, Eddie I don't like this either, you are my partner. I have your back and you have mine, that's how it's been but…

"I know and it's not fair, we didn't even start it. Now we are stuck with ridiculous partners for a month, a lot can happen in a month."

"Exactly, so I need to know you'll be all right Eddie. You're a great cop but I'd be lying if I said it didn't' bother me that I would not be at your side out there." Jamie didn't want to think about all the possibilities that could happen without him to look out for her.

"But you are scared, and I am angry and that is a huge issue," Eddie sighed. They both knew how dangerous it was to go out in the field anything other than clear headed especially with different partners.

Jamie set the beer down knowing she was right. "Yeah that's a huge issue, so what do we do?"

"I don't know, can we protest?" Eddie asked. "Can you talk to the dad about her? I can't be separated from you for a month!"

"I don't use my name Eddie, you know that…And if we suddenly are put back together.." Jamie sighed.

Jamie took a breath, "There is one thing we could do...since technically we aren't partners for a month."

Eddie's eyes locked with Jamie's, she raised and eyebrow at him, "Oh, what's that?"

"We can see what this thing really is, if it has legs, without being afraid we'd get caught."

"Can you say that in English, Jamie," Eddie couldn't help but poke at him despite her anger at being separated and her hope he was finally going to take a step.

"We are out together, let's be out together, let's go somewhere else, someplace nicer...you look fabulous."

Eddie smiled and grabbed her purse from the chair. "Let's go." Eddie slid off the chair, she paused next to him. Eddie chose a fifties style diner with great ice cream sodas and big meaty burgers.

Jamie opened the door for her and followed her to a small booth in the back. Jamie gave the waitress a small smile and slid into the booth next to Eddie.

Jamie put his arm around Eddie and snuggled her to his chest. It felt so good to have her like this, near, safe, secure…and all within the rules. "If I can do this, and not be worried maybe it is worth being apart."

"And you finally see this…took long enough Reagan," Eddie lightly elbowed his side settling against his chest. "Let's split an ice cream soda."

"You want to split something?" Jamie laughed. "Sure...one ice cream soda, two burgers all the way."

Eddie laughed too breathing lightly against his warm body. Maybe Jamie was ready to see the new relationship they could have.

When the food came, they begin the exchange, tomatoes for pickles, salt for pepper...

Eddie lifted her burger for a taste juice falling out. "This is so good!" She reached for the ice cream soda just as Jamie did. Jamie let her take the first sip, he and back and watched her.

"Hmm here," Eddie took two straws from the side putting them in the soda so he could take a sip.

The time flew, the food was great and so was the company, finally Eddie spoke, "It's late, we should be getting on."

Jamie waived the waitress over and paid for their food walking Eddie out. "I'll drive you home."

Jamie drove Eddie through the streets, she looked around. "This still doesn't' feel right," Eddie sighed. "Did not feel like a date."

"Well it's hard to navigate between one relationship to another. It'll take time." Jamie hoped that was true.

"No," Eddie sighed. "I mean you didn't pick me up and I didn't wear a bangin' dress. I should wear a bangin' dress!"

Jamie laughed, "Well, how about I pick you up tomorrow and we go out for dinner? Honestly Eddie, you look great."

"No, you need to call me up an invite me out...if we are going to play tickle wiggle for a month you have to earn it buster..." Eddie kept up a confident aire, but inside she was scared to death that Jamie would cut and run again, or worse, they would try and horribly fail at being more than just partners.

Jamie chuckled, and stole a glance at Eddie. "Really now?" he laughed.

"Yeah...so give me a kiss, then go home and think but something great..." Eddie waited for Jamie to bestow a kiss.

"Well you just ruined the moment. Let me walk you up like I should..my Dad taught us to be gentlemen.. " Jamie opened the doors for hers grinning.

Jamie held Eddie's arms and walked her to her door. "Goodnight, Edit..." he said softly.

Eddie turned facing him, "Thanks for walking me up." Her eyes caught his hopeful for a good night kiss.

Jamie reached out and caressed Eddie's soft skin and bent his head to brush her lips just a little..."Save the rest for our real date..."

"Mean," Eddie teased reaching into her bag for the apartment keys. "Call me."

Jamie smirked as he watched Eddie open the door, "We'll see..." He walked away already planning the best night ever.

Eddie fell asleep happy that night and woke up the same way early the next morning. She just made coffee when the cell rang.

Eddie smiled, it was Jamie. "Well hello there..." She smiled flirting lightly.

"Hey, I was wondering if you were free tonight around six thirty..." Jamie had given this night some though, now all he had to do was pull it off.

"I could be, why? What are we doing?" Eddie asked smiling.

"You'll see, it's a surprise. I'll pick you up at six thirty..."

Jamie was about to hang up when Eddie spoke again. "How should I dress?"

"Just wear a bangin' dress," Jamie replied and hung up before Eddie could press them for more details.

Jamie picked Eddie up promptly at 6:30 with a bouquet of flowers in hand. Ha had made reservations for an outdoor restaurant in Manhattan with seats right on the water. The put candles on each table that created a light shadow for the patrons dining there. Across the water, the lighted apartments in Brooklyn reflected out creating a lovely sheen on the river. Above them stars twinkled against the clear midnight blue sky.

"You did good Regan," Eddie smiled. "You did really good...the food smells great." Eddie was dressed in light blue, her hair up in a messy bun. She wore a wedge sandal that showed off her legs and her body.

Jamie smiled following Eddie to a table pulling out her chair. He turned mumbling to the waiter who nodded before hurrying away. "You look amazing, Eddie.." Jamie smiled sitting across from her.

"You don't look so bad yourself," Eddie laughed. "The flowers were lovely...and you are such a gentleman."

"Thank you. My grandpa and dad made sure..." Jamie smiled at the waiter returning with a bottle of win.

"Well I'm glad they did," Eddie replied as the wine was poured. Jamie lifted his glass, "To a new beginning," he toasted. Eddie tipped her glass.

Jamie smiled reaching across the table for her hand. "So, what are you in the mood for?" Jamie wanted this night to be perfect. "The sky is the limit." Jamie knew with Eddie that could be pricey, but that was why they had credit cards.

"What if we split this chilled seafood cocktails and maybe I'll have the Steak Diane..." Eddie picked a moderate priced item, she did want to make a good impression. This wasn't just a date, this wasn't just a day with Jamie. This was the date...the one she'd been hoping for.

"Sure, sounds good." Jamie ordered the fish turning to look out at the water taking her hand again.

Jamie ran his thumb over her soft skin, he played with her fingers, just absorbing who and what she was. He never thought this would really happen.

Eddie smiled enjoying every gentle touch watching him, mostly his blue eyes really seeing how deep they were.

"So, tomorrow we roll out with someone else...and I think," Jamie said gently. "We need to see what feels worse, rolling out with another partner or not coming together at night like this."

Eddie sighed, it hurt that they wouldn't be riding together even though this felt good. "It's going to be weird not riding with you."

"Yeah, and I won't lie, I'll be worried, but...I think this is the cosmos way of forcing us to find definition for us."

"Yeah.," Eddie didn't know what else to say. She would worry about Jamie the same way he worried about her but if this led to something else.

Their starter arrived and Jamie let Eddie help herself. She bit the food delicately not with her usual gusto and sipped her wine...

In between bites Jamie watched her with a smile feeling his stomach turning nervously. This always happened when he was with a girl, he was at a loss for words so he just said, "This is really good.."

Eddie was too smart for that. "What' wrong Jamie?" Eddie asked. "Why are you being so quiet?"

"Are you saying I'm loud?" Jamie smiled slightly. "I'm not just… " Jamie blushed a little.

"You are barely saying a word," Eddie replied. "If you want to change this just tell me."

Jamie put his fork down and reached out to take Eddie's hand again. "No, I want to be here. I just see you in uniform every day so seeing you like this is…new."

"Aww..." Eddie blushed now. She had him speechless...

Jamie raised is hand to lift Eddie's chin up. Their eyes locked and Jamie smiled at Eddie. "Glad we're out together Eddie."

Eddie smiled, "Me too..." Eddie looked out t the water. "It's peaceful here."

"Very, look how nice Brooklyn looks all lit up." Jamie sipped his wine keeping his hand over Eddie's, enjoying how that felt.

"You're Brooklyn at heart, aren't you?" Eddie asked. "As wonderful as Manhattan is, there's something about Brooklyn, city but community too...I can see the love in your eyes."

Jamie nodded, "I grew up in Bay Ridge it was a very quiet family oriented neighborhood. We'd go out without worry because neighbors looked out for each other. How about you tell me about where you grew up?" Eddie was very tight lipped about her life before the precinct.

"I grew up on Long Island for the most part," Eddie replied. ""It was pretty and it was very isolated. I was driven to school and picked up, I didn't have a lot of friends until high school."

"Really? So, what did you do every day after school?" Jamie wanted to know about the woman he trusted with his very life.

"Homework, and then I was tutored in the finer arts, piano, ballet...how to sit, stand, walk, talk like a lady," Eddie blushed and studied her plate. This was hard, even with Jamie.

Jamie raised an eyebrow not being able to see Eddie as one of those girls. "Really? "

"Really," Eddie replied. "But when Dad got arrested and all of this stuff went down, all of that went by the way side too. It was pretty much gone when my mom died but the last of it went when he got arrested and I learned how to tend bar."

"You tended ba? No wonder you have a high tolerance. Wow, I had no idea Eddie!" Jamie leaned in intrigued as she opened up so much.

"Well it was that or the streets. I was eighteen and the owner took pity on me..." Eddie was beginning to tear up.

Jamie reached over taking her hand moving to the chair at Eddie's side. "It's okay, you don't have to go on... "

"I worked my way through school and I worked in that bar for years until I went into the Academy...I'm not proud of the things I've done." There was more to say, but that was for another time.

"Hey, everyone has,some point in their life that they're not proud of, but you turned out to be a beautiful, sweet great cop," Jamie cradled her to him, so proud of the woman he knew now.

The main course came, and the talk turned back to their new partners. "I just hope I can trust her with you, she's a worm...a little..." Eddie shivered.

"I know but hey I can't go knowing your distracted worrying about me okay? I can't get that phone call Eddie. " Jamie gently rubbed his finger over cheek wiping the tears away.

"I can't either...and we won't you know? You'd get it for me, but for you...I'd be like the tenth person to know..."

Smiling slightly Jamie shook his head, "naw ninth maybe." He grinned down hoping for a smile.

He failed, "I'm not being funny Jamie."

Sighing Jamie met her eyes, "Eddie I'll be fine but in case I'll be sure that you find out first okay?"

"Second, after your Dad," She smiled.

The conversation lightened as they finished dinner, having ice cream for desert. Both full Jamie followed Eddie to the car. "So, it's still early."

"Yes it is..." Eddie replied, tendrils of her hair blew in the evening breeze. "What do you suggest?"

"We could go back to my place for a bit," Jamie suggested softly.

Eddie smiled, that sounded like a plan to her. Jamie was already Kissing Eddie when they walked into his apartment, her lips were like silk, and her hands, they were warm and cool at the same time. Jamie stopped as they neared his bedroom, "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure Jamie," Eddie insisted locking eyes with his showing she meant it. She leaned up again kissing him slowly

The slow soft kisses soon became hot and needy. There was so much pent us emotion and sexual tension. Jamie made short work of Eddie's dress, she made his clothing melt away just as fast. Jamie lowered Eddie to his bed, only stopping to be sure she was as engage and enthralled as he.

Eddie looked up taking a breath meeting his eyes then pulled him closer wanting more cuddles and to feel him close. After riding together then admitting their feeling this was a long time coming.

They took their time, the paused to kiss, hug...then finally when it was time, both their hearts and their minds were ready to become one...When Jamie connected their bodies, their tears mingled on their cheeks, at one point Eddie didn't' know where she ended and Jamie began...that was how it should have been...all along.

 **A/N: I wrote this little fluff piece with my good friend and fellow Jamko fan, Yanks302021. We both hope you enjoyed it. I had to find a little spot of Jamko that could possibly come from their forced separation…I'm working on another short for this week, a little more drama…but another way our favorite couple might end up in a different kind of partnership.**


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